Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-11-29

The moment she marries the Mougolian
dansel becomes the property OF her hus
baud-a little more so than they do in
America. Her spouse has the privilege, as
all husbands the world over, to chide,
scold and chastlse her for her faults, and
they assert that. in cases of grave crime,
he ha, the right to kill her. In his punish
meut he may put her on what we would
call bread and water diet. keep her locked
up in bedroom. closet or cellar, or beat
her with his hands or bamboo rod. In
this respect the Chinese law Is almost a
fac smile Of the common law which
prevailed in England and this country
until about 1905, and which allowed the
husband to correct his wife with
"the open hand or hight rod, but not
with "the clenched fist nor club"
Under this custom the average almond
eyed woman expects to be beaten with
regularity proportional to her queued
lords affection, and, like the wives
of English "navvies," regards the omis-
sion of corporal punishment as a sure evil
dence Of the loss of his love.
In New York the Chinese family lives
In the same fiat or building as that in
which the pater familias does business.
rooms, according to his wealth From
these she practically never stirs. Either
her husband or servant does all the
marketing and shopping. Still worse, she
must not receive calls from the other sex
excepting in rare cases when the husband
presents an intimate friend. On such an
occasion the visitor bows repeatedly,
shakes his own hand vigorously for a
minute or two, utters the usual stereo-
typed remarks about the health of her
self, family, cousin and friends, and de-
parts without having once looked ut her
face. " here is the American who could
do that
A WIFE IN HER BoUDOII.
Lee Chick San Chong, merchant OF
Mott stce' {, captured by my smiles. con-
scented to lit rofluce me to his wife and her
bondolr, which | supposed would he as in
teresIuI is the woman. His store was
in the basement and his wife lived on the
first floor above | followed my guide
throu IN . dirty uncarpeted hall to a door
at the farthc.t end. He raped rather
vigorously with his knuckles on the por-
tai, which had no outs de knob or latch
After a while it was unlocked on the in
side; he pushed it open, and we stood on
the inside. Almost in the rear of the
roola, with some sewing in her hand,
stood the woman had come to sec. She
smiled at her husband and looked at me
without fear or surprise. but US a babe
looks at a new object before its innocent
eyes. Lee Chick San Chong spoke to her
in his peculiar language, and then, turn
ing to me, said: My wife" Another
moment and the little brown fingers COW
cred with rings were clasped in my Gloved
hand 1:ld We Were looking at each other
as only two women can. What she saw
is left to the Imagination, but this is what
| gaZed uion with interest:
\ little woman, not more than five feet
high. with the blacklist Of eyes, which
were l;,r,cr and more open than those OF
the GycrHg" Chinaman. She had the
typical Aiplgalian face, with complex
ion IL + rom the exclusion of sunlight
resemhied bcached golden wax. Her
blue black hair was combed back without
part dressed over the ears like half
oyster she'll. and down the back Of the
head in long obong puff. Gold rings
kept it all in place, but it had the appear
anc2 of being soaped to make it smooth
and stiff The forehead was extremely
HIGH, and the eyebrows had habitually
surprised curve The cheeks were round,
little inclined to Gatness, but withal pi-
quantc, the teeth exquisitely white and
beautifully shaped, and the lips either
Rrtifcjallv dyed or naturally rich car
mine With the air and look OF childish
innocence, Mrs. San Chong was not bad
to look at.
BEAUTY OF HER DRESS.
But her dress, 1t is hard to describe it
to ,rt,- Il. i=a Ial;c mt,
1t WAS light blue s,lhen robe trimmed
with bands OF crimson silk. The upper
robe was made with flowing sleeves, which
disclosed similar white silk robe under
meath. The skirt or petticoat, of plain
crimson, was made precisely straight, and
touched the floor Her tiny feet, not
more than Eve inches in length, were
covered with white silk hosiery, and in
serted in dainty Chinese slippers of blue
silk. embroidered in gold, with white satin
covered soles. Her arms were loaded
with bracelets Of several kinds, and her
ears held rings of enormous size. Her
silver thimble, with which she had been
sewing, still clasped the little brown
finger II was a silver band worn on the
second joint of the middle finger Mrs.
San Chong moved around with quiet
grace and ease that would be the envy of
Fifth avenue belle.
Our conversation was limited. but Lee
Chick was good English scholar and did
the translating. He is teaching Mrs San
ChOng English, but she forgets. She
reads poetry, history and love stories, and
spends all her day alone, her husband
lcaviui. in the morning and not returning
Until evening. She never visits; cannot
be induced to quit her quarters. An her
food is cooked by a servant in the store,
and her husband carries all the meals to
her room.
Is your wife satisfied | asked Lee
Chick. NO, shc is not. She is perfectly
happy in her lone life. having no other
desire, but she is childless, the greatest
affection that can betall Chinese wife
Lee Chick is also very much dissatisfied
at the rate his family refuses to increase
After trying unsuceessfully to adopt some
American child he has decided to take this
vile back to China and leave her there
II" viii then procure himself another
He has already one wife in China and two
children, but she refuses TO come to
America Lee Chick wants an American
for No. 3, and he made the writer a pro-
posal. lie WAS told that men outside Of
Utah were allowed but one wife, and that
II they were found to have one in Brook
lyn and one in Harlem they would get
Into serious trouble. 1.-TWO wives in one
room in China no trouble was his reply
This is inconceivable, but it is true
With all their addition In wives divorce
and inndclity are very rare.-Nelly BLY, In
Cleveland Leader.